UCU Digital Institutional Repository(UCUDIR)
Welcome to the Uganda Christian University Digital Institutional Repositoy (UCUDIR). This is the University's official Institutional Repository. It aims to collect, preserve and showcase the intellectual output of staff and students of UCU. This growing collection of research includes peer-reviewed articles, book chapters, working papers, theses, and more.
- The Repository ingests documents, audio, video, datasets and their corresponding Dublin Core metadata
- The aim is to open up this content to local and global audiences, with have optimized well for Google Scholar so your items here shows up on Google Scholar searches
- we also issue permanent urls and trustworthy identifiers, including optional integrations with handle.net and DataCite DOI
Not Registered? click here to Register or or if already registered: Click To submit your Item ::For more information visit any UCU Library branch
Communities in UCUDIR
Select a community to browse its collections.
- Items in this community present a concise summary of information that can help readers understand, and likely make decisions about, government policies.
- This is a collection of Masters and Doctoral theses and dissertations submitted in electronic format to the Uganda Christian University.
Recent Submissions
Understanding growth challenges of small-scale businesses: a case study of Kitooro Market, Entebbe
(Uganda Christian University, 2026-06-04) Sarah Musabe Kanyesige
Small-scale businesses are a key driver of livelihoods and economic activity in Uganda; however,
many struggle to achieve sustainable growth. Despite high levels of entrepreneurial activity, the
country faces a high business failure rate, with many enterprises closing within their first few years.
This study examined the challenges affecting the growth of small-scale businesses in Kitooro
Market, Entebbe Municipality.
A cross-sectional descriptive design was employed, using both quantitative and qualitative
approaches. Data were collected from 78 participants, including 68 questionnaire respondents and
10 key informants comprising business owners, market leaders, and a municipal official. The study
focused on access to finance, entrepreneurial human capital, and the business environment and
infrastructure as key determinants of business growth.
Findings indicate that small-scale businesses experience only moderate growth (overall mean =
3.26), with limited expansion and employment creation. Access to finance was identified as a
major constraint (mean = 3.86), with over 75% of respondents citing high interest rates and lack
of collateral as key barriers, and more than 80% relying on personal savings. Business environment
and infrastructure emerged as the most significant challenge (mean = 3.99), with over 80% of
respondents reporting that high taxes and competition reduce profitability, while about 70%
highlighted poor roads and unreliable electricity as disruptive. Entrepreneurial human capital
showed moderate influence (mean = 3.61), with only about 40% of respondents having received
formal business training.
The study concludes that financial, skill-based, and environmental challenges jointly constrain
business growth. It recommends improved access to affordable finance, enhanced business
training, and investment in infrastructure to support sustainable growth.
Effect of coaching on nurses’ knowledge, attitude and practices regarding the use of a standardized tool during clinical handover at a rural hospital in Uganda
(Uganda Christian University, 2026-03-30) Pamela Daisy Miremba
Background. Handover is essential for continuity of care and safety of patients. However, inconsistence practices and lack of standardized approaches often result in communication errors. The ISBAR (Identification, Situation, Background, Assessment and Recommendation) tool provides a structured framework, yet its use remains limited. This study assessed the effect of coaching on nurses‘ competences and compliance with ISBAR during bedside handover at Kisiizi Hospital, western Uganda. Method. A one group pre and posttest cross-sectional quasi-experimental design was conducted among 58 nurses using consecutive sampling. Clinical coaching interventions were implemented, focusing on knowledge, attitude and practice of ISBAR. Data were collected through a structured, self-administered questionnaire and analyzed using with SPSS version 22. Results. Of the 58 participants,69% were females and 31% were males with 60% holding certificate level qualifications 28% diploma and 12% bachelor‘s degree. knowledge scores improved markedly with participants demonstrating very good knowledge rising from 39.7% at baseline to 91.4% post-intervention (paired t-test, p = .001). Attitude scores also improved significantly (Wilcoxon signed rank test), with mean scores increasing from 2.6, (SD = 0.19) and post-intervention scores 2.7(SD =0.14). Practice scores showed the strongest gains, rising a mean of 3.05 (SD = 0.33) to 3.69 (SD = 0.13) post intervention, (p = .001). Compliance with ISBAR increased across all domains, with nurses reporting greater confidence in structured communication, reduced omission and improved clarity during bedside handover. Conclusion. Coaching interventions significantly enhanced nurses‘ competences and compliance with ISBAR tool. Real-time coaching, continuous training and supervision are effective strategies for improving knowledge, attitude and practices in clinical handover. Continuous training and supervision are recommended to sustain these improvements and strengthen patient safety. Key words: Knowledge, attitude, practice, clinical handover, ISBAR tool.
Healthcare workers’ knowledge of patient health data protection when using digital health solutions at Hoima Regional Referral Hospital
(Uganda Christian University, 2026-06-05) Jacqueline Ainabyoona
This study assessed healthcare workers’ knowledge of patient health data protection when using
digital health solutions at Hoima Regional Referral Hospital. As healthcare systems rapidly
adopt the digital technologies, safeguarding the digital patient health data is vital for preserving
trust and complying with the legal and ethical standards. However, inadequate knowledge of data
protection principles among the healthcare workers using digital systems may compromise the
security and privacy of patient health records. The study aimed to identify the digital health
solutions used, assess healthcare workers’ knowledge of patient health data protection principles
and describe the data protection practices implemented within the hospital by the healthcare
workers. A mixed methods approach was applied using structured questionnaires to collect data
about the digital health solutions currently used, the knowledge of patient health data protection
principles among the health care workers and their patient health data protection practices. The
Interview guide was used to collect the patient health data protection practices among the
healthcare workers in their respective departments. A sample of healthcare workers between the
age of 31-50, most of whom were nurses, with the highest education qualification being between
Diploma and Degree participated in this study. The findings revealed that UgandaEMR (E-Afya)
was the most commonly used system (70.3%), followed by HMIS/DHIS2 (23.4%), Automated
Laboratory Information Systems (3.9%) and Electronic Health Records (2.3%). The overall
knowledge score on patient health data protection principles was moderate (54.7%). The most
commonly reported patient data protection measure was the use of passwords or login credentials
(74.2%). The findings showed that although digital health systems were widely used at Hoima
Regional Referral Hospital, healthcare workers did not demonstrate strong knowledge of patient
health data protection and had very low awareness of the Data Protection and Privacy Act
(2019). The moderate knowledge level of the patient health data protection principles showed
that some staff may not fully understand how to safeguard the sensitive patient information. In
addition, relying mainly on passwords as a protection measure may leave the patient health data
defenseless. Daily data protection practices were influenced by convenience, limited training and
technical challenges which led to inconsistent patient data protection. These findings emphasized
the need for more practical training and stronger institutional guidance to improve the secure
management of patient health data.
Health care staffing and maternal health outcomes in Terego District, Uganda
(Uganda Christian University, 2026-06-01) Morris Candia
Maternal mortality is still a major public health concern for Uganda and especially this problem in rural areas such as Terego. Although it has universally been acknowledged that health staffing is a significant factor that influences maternal health, the unique ways that staffing-related factors (such as adequacy, motivation, and training) impact on these results in underserved contexts in Uganda has not been investigated. This work investigated impact of healthcare staffing on maternal health outcomes in Terego District, Uganda. Three objectives: The study aimed at: (1) determining the effect of healthcare staff adequacy on maternal health; (2) determining what role motivated staff play in maternal health improvements; (3) knowledge on healthcare workers’ skills and training to improve maternal health outcomes. Methodology METHODS AND METHODS The methodology used mixed-methods and includes quantitative and qualitative data collection. Descriptive, correlational design was employed as the part of the quantitative part with the collection of data from 136 HCWs, district health managers, health unit management committee members, village health teams and community beneficiaries by the way of a structured questionnaire. The qualitative data were gathered through semi-structured interviews and analysed in a thematic manner. The data were examined using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and SPSS regression analysis and thematic narrative analysis. Separate associations between staffing levels were identified for each staff level variable via the study. Staff adequacy did not significantly correlate with maternal health outcomes (r = 0.034, p = 0.696), owing to widespread and consistent shortages among all facilities. Staff motivation showed a statistically significant positive association with outcomes (r = 0.333, p < 0.001), representing 11.1% of the variance. Staff training and skills were found to be the largest predictor of maternal health outcomes (r = 0.400; p < 0.001), accounting for 16.0% of variance. Based on qualitative research finding, these problems were confirmed, indicating acute shortages of skilled staff with low pay and poor living conditions, as well as urgent training in emergency obstetric and neonatal care. Keywords: maternal health, healthcare staffing, staff motivation, staff training and health outcomes.
Green supply chain management practices and operational efficiency at Mukwano Industries Uganda LTD
(Uganda Christian University, 2026-06-08) Jonathan Mbabazi
This study examined the influence of Green Supply Chain Management (GSCM) practices
on operational efficiency at Mukwano Industries Uganda Ltd. Specifically, it explored
the role of green procurement, green manufacturing, and green logistics in enhancing
the organization’s operational performance. A descriptive and correlational research
design was adopted, with data collected from 132 respondents, including top
management, middle-level managers, and operational staff, using structured
questionnaires. Descriptive statistics, Pearson’s correlation, and multiple regression
analyses were employed to analyze the data. The findings indicated that respondents
generally agreed that Mukwano Industries had moderately implemented green supply
chain practices, with overall mean scores of 3.88 for green procurement, 3.87 for green
manufacturing, and 3.86 for green logistics. Operational efficiency was also perceived
positively, with an overall mean score of 3.91. Correlation analysis revealed significant
positive relationships between all dimensions of GSCM and operational efficiency (p <
0.01). Regression results showed that green logistics had the strongest influence on
operational efficiency (β = 0.502, p < 0.001), followed by green manufacturing (β =
0.160, p = 0.013) and green procurement (β = 0.151, p = 0.008). The study concluded
that the adoption of green supply chain practices positively contributed to operational
efficiency, although areas such as cost control, waste reduction, employee training,
and reverse logistics required further strengthening. Recommendations included
enhancing supplier compliance, promoting energy-efficient technologies, improving
recycling initiatives, and optimizing logistics practices to sustain performance and
environmental sustainability